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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers come to Week 7 with a 30-19 win over the San Francisco 49ers. It showed why this team started the season 5-1 and why they’re still one of the most balanced squads in the NFC. Now head coach Todd Bowles and his crew are back home ready for the Detroit Lions. But the question is, can Bowles get his full roster ready in time?

That’s where things get tricky. Bowles is staring at seven game-time calls before kickoff. Lavonte David, Emeka Egbuka, Teddy Bridgewater, and Mike Evans are all listed as questionable. Meanwhile, Riley Dixon, Zyon McCollum, and Benjamin Morrison all practiced in full, but even there, the coaching staff isn’t breathing easy yet.

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Lavonte David’s been pushing through a nagging knee issue all season. Yet, the veteran linebacker still managed to get a full practice in on Saturday, which is a good sign. On the other hand, Egbuka’s status is more complicated. He’s still dealing with a hamstring injury from that win over San Francisco.

Then there’s Bridgewater. The veteran quarterback is questionable due to an illness that popped up right before game day.

According to Fox Sports, it even kept him out of Saturday’s session. That’s tough timing for Bowles. And speaking of bad timing, Mike Evans still hasn’t suited up in almost a month. The 12th-year pro’s hamstring strain from Week 3 against the Jets has kept him sidelined longer than expected.

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Unfortunately, the injury list doesn’t end there. Chris Godwin Jr. (fibula), Luke Haggard (shoulder), Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder), and Josh Williams (concussion) are all officially ruled out for Week 7. However, Bowles isn’t the only one who have injury concerns going into Week 7.

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Just like Todd Bowles, Dan Campbell faces his own lineup challenges

After a tough Week 6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Lions stand at 4-2. So they want to bounce back. But as they gear up for Week 7, Dan Campbell has a few things to sort out. Five critical calls hang in the balance. Taylor Decker, Alim McNeill, DJ Reader, Zach Cunningham, and Kalif Raymond are all questionable.

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Campbell sounded fairly upbeat in his Saturday presser. He said Decker is “trending” to play. The veteran tackle has missed two straight games, so that update is a big boost. His return would also let Dan Skipper slide back into his “eligible receiver” role, which Detroit loves to use in heavy sets.

Meanwhile, Reader’s status remains unclear. He picked up his injury in that loss to the Chiefs but managed limited practice on both Friday and Saturday. Then there’s McNeill. His situation is a little different.

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The Buccaneers game falls on day 20 of Alim McNeill’s 21-day practice window, and signs point to him being ready to play. If he suits up, it would mark a strong comeback, just over 10 months after tearing his ACL on December 15, 2024. It’s a fast recovery, but head coach Dan Campbell knows McNeill may need time to get back to full form.

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As for Cunningham and Raymond, both are under watch. Cunningham’s full participation on Thursday signals his hamstring is behind him, and he’s trending toward playing. Raymond, though, remains on the injury list but without an official game status.

So now it’s up to Campbell and Todd Bowles to make their calls, and see whose lineup survives the weekend chaos.

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